Where I Belong

The Escape

My whole life I've known nothing more than pain and heartache. I was a mistake, an accident. My parents never wanted me. My mom, Jill, says that I was so ugly, that when Dad saw me, he ran as fast and far as he could.

Jill usually ignores me, but there's a problem. I have ADHD and Dyslexia, so it's hard for me to concentrate, and I struggle to do well in school. Jill hates when I come home with less than A's, so naturally, my D's make her mad.

When I come home from school, she'll ask me my grades, a thick belt ready in her large hands. I know what awaits every time, but I have no choice.

I come in with my head down, and answer in a whimper, "D." I've tried running before, but she'll chase me down and hit me even more. One time I tried coming in quietly and hiding in the bathroom, but she heard the door creak and waited outside for me. I hid for TWO DAYS! That's how crazy she is.

My only friend is Grover. He can't be around me much though or else we get made fun of. They always have something to say.

"Look at your only friend, Ocean. He feels bad for you! You pity the fool, huh Grover."

So I'm alone. I do my best to make it by, but every night results in crying by the window. All I want is to be out there, making my own choices. Away from Jill, to find where I truly belong.

Mrs. James blabbers about something. I just can't help thinking about what will happen when I get home. The event that reoccurs in my mind. All I can think about is the pain of the belt hitting my neck, my back, my legs. It's late May, yet I'm wearing a turtleneck and jeans to hide the scars.

I always have wondered, what would happen if I run away again. I've tried many times, but never succeeded. What would happen if I made it?

Mrs. James clears her throat. "Ocean!" I jump in my chair. I quickly turn to face her, sitting up straight. Her eyes show, she knows I don't have the slightest clue what she was teaching.

"Would you mind passing out the tests?" she asks, raising her eyebrows. She holds out a large stack of paper. I gulp. A test! What am I going to do? This will surely drop my grade to an F. I feel like I am about to cry. And I am.

I burst out in tears. Jill is going to kill me.

Mrs. James is shocked. She wasn't expecting it. Then her face turns strict again.

"It's your fault if you flunk the test."

I shake my head. "That's not the problem!"

"Then why are you crying, Ocean?"

I shake my head again. "I can't say." Jill forbids me to tell. They would come to take me, and she'd just shoot me, and probably every one. She promised. She keeps a gun in her pocket in case it happens. I'm telling you, THIS WOMAN'S CRAZY!

"Then I'm sure you'd be happy to pass out the tests." I don't reply. I have a chance. I can run, but then they would tell Jill that I bailed and she would find me. I have to take the test.

I stand up slowly and walk to the front of the room, tears running down my cheeks still.

I here kids snickering. Some chant, "Cry baby, cry baby! Ocean is a cry baby!" I snatch the stack of tests from Mrs. James, staring her right in the eye while I do it.

I pace around the room, slapping a thick packet on each desk. When I reach my desk, I slam the packet down so hard, the whole desk shakes.

I guess my best on each question. Of course show of, Ava Thurman finishes within five minutes, bouncing up to Mrs. James's desk happily.

"Done!" She says loudly. "That was soooooooooo easy!" she says looking at me. I ignore her and continue with my test.

I leave school running. I'm not going home. I'm not getting whipped. I told Grover at lunch what my plan was. He insisted on coming with me.

"Come on, I'm coming. It's my job!"

"Your job?"

"I'm your protector. I'm coming."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"NO."

"YES."

"FINE!!!"

"Yep." So I guess I have to bring Grover.

Grover follows behind, limping. He's always had a limp. He says his legs aren't like mine, but I can't help but wonder if he gets beat too.

Grover struggles to catch up as I dash through the neighborhood. He keeps looking at his pants, and I can tell he's thinking about something. I don't really wanna know what since he's looking at his pants.

" Screw these pants!" Grover exclaims.

"Grover, NO!" I shout as he pulls off his pants.

He smirks. He yanks off his pants to reveal..Hair? Grover's bottom half is goat!

"What the!"

"Follow me!" He gallops ahead of me. I follow him, because he seems to know what he's doing.
                                                                       * * * * * *
We've been running for about an hour. We've taken a few breaks here and there. My breaths are quick as I run top speed. My side burns, but I urge myself forward still. The wind blows my black hair in my face and it's all I see. I'm running blindly, guided only by the sound of Grover's hooves. I take a second to sweep the hair out of my face. I jog while wrapping it in a ponytail holder to keep it out of the way.

Just then, my phone goes off. Jill.

I know you're running away. I'll find you! I can promise you that. I have my ways.

Crap! She must be tracking me or something. Probably. I check my shirt and pants, my shoes. Nothing.

"What's something my mother might put a tracker on?" I shout to Grover.

"Did you check your phone?" I didn't think of that. I take my ocean phone case off. Sure enough, there it is. I yank it off. I turn to the side and throw it as hard as I can. We run harder.
                                                                   * * * * * *
"Almost there!" Grover yells. We sprint through the woods, dodging trees. Up ahead, there's a sign. It's written in a different language, but I know it says Camp Half Blood.

"Cross under the sign and you'll be safe!" Grover tells me. I run towards the sign. I run and run. I'm about ten feet away when Thwak! A belt hits me in the stomach. Jill.

I fall to the ground. My face slides in the dirt. Jill leans over me. She hits me. Again and again. Grover tries to pry the belt out of her hands, but he can't. She just slaps him. He's trying to help. The belt smacks me in the face over and over. She hits me with the metal part, the buckle. Grover can't get her to stop. Then he does something I would never imagine. He jumps in front of me, taking the hits for me.

"GO, OCEAN! RUN!!!!" he calls. I lift myself to my feet and limp as fast as I can. I taste blood in my mouth. It drenches my face and body. My left leg won't work. I reach for the sign. My hands go through, then my arms, then my body. It feels like I am walking through an invisible wall. I collapse to the ground on the other side of the sign. But what about Grover?  Blackness.